Of Human Bondage

A young man struggling for self-realization, Philip Carey becomes caught in a destructive love affair with a waitress, in a novel about sexual obsession, self-discovery, and the complexities of human relationships.

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Prior to reading Somerset Maugham's novel - I had already seen the 1934 and the 1964 film adaptations of his work. And what surprised me the most, of course, was how little these 2 films covered the full story of Philip Carey's life, as they only narrowly focused in on his unhappy encounter with the sluttish waitress, Mildred, and nothing else.

In this novel - The story about Philip Carey (and his clubfoot) starts off when he was just a boy of 9 - And then it continues well past the time when that tramp, Mildred, trampled all over his dignity.

Written by Maugham in 1915 - This tale of inescapable "human bondage" is a very potent and detailed account of Philip's troubled life where - (already at a very young age) - He learned all about the cruelty of others and the forked-tongued hypocrisy of religion.

Apparently - Of Human Bondage was something of a semi-autobiographical re-telling of Maugham's own life (who was 40 at the time this novel was written) - But Maugham did not have a clubfoot, and, unlike Philip, he was, in fact, homosexual.... Somerset Maugham died in 1965 at the age of 91... (*Watch video-clip*)

This book tells the story of young Englishman Philip Carey and his growing-up process. Born with a club foot, orphaned while young, raised by his clergyman uncle and wife on a parsonage, Philip is forced to make his way in the world. We see the difficulties he faces growing up, complicated by his sensitive temperament, his deformity, and the loss of his mother. Maugham covers just about every aspect of the natural growing-up process. Philip’s recurring romantic relationship with one woman in particular, Mildred, takes up most of the book, which produces many cringeworthy scenes. The “bondage” of the title refers to our bondage to love, including an unhealthy bondage to people who are not good for us. Overall, the novel provides a wonderful account of Philip’s maturation process. Written in very straightforward, plain prose. The book is expertly plotted and planned, and includes very deep insights into human nature. Unusually frank for its day.

Although I enjoyed this novel it was often too wordy and the circumstances too grim. Maugham's ability to describe a character is extremely vivid and real but I sometimes felt I didn't want to know any more about an individual's depravity. Phillip's destructive infatuation with Mildred was so grim and tawdry that I kept hoping he would simply grow up and move on. I couldn't empathize with his inability to stop loving her.

Though the prose is old fashioned and the story is told in a linear fashion the subject matter of this book is excellent. The protagonist is well developed, the balance of the characters are developed but we only see them from Philip's viewpoint with one small exception. This novel is definitely worth reading.

This beautifully written novel describes a young man's struggle to find his path in life. In his early years Philip Carey is possessed by ungovernable emotions fueled by a desperate need for love, acceptance, and freedom. Throughout this classic bildungsroman the author masterfully details Philip's failures as he drags himself down into a mire of masochistic misery. As the story progresses, Philip learns that striving for the unachievable only leads to unhappiness. The book often drifts into philosophic debates, eventually concluding that life has no meaning so searching for it is ultimately self-destructive.